Oadby and Wigston

The religious profile of Oadby and Wigston changed substantially in the decade to 2011. At the same time there were changes in ethnicity, health and marriage.

The population changed very little

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Oadby and Wigston remained close to 56,200.

The addition of almost 400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Oadby and Wigston was home to, on average, 17 people per football pitch-sized piece of land (about 7,140 square metres).

Population density was higher than the average across the East Midlands

Population density (usual residents per 7,140 square metres) across the East Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Oadby and Wigston

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Oadby and Wigston increased by two years, from 39 to 41 years.

This affluent area had a slightly higher average age than the East Midlands and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of almost 1,400 people aged 80 years or over, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 10% of people in Oadby and Wigston are aged over the age of 80 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Oadby and Wigston by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes with adult children living with their parents

This area saw England's largest rise in the proportion of households with adult children living with their parents.

During this period, Oadby and Wigston overtook 88 local authority areas, including Wirral and Medway, to become the English local authority area with the seventh-highest percentage of households with only adult children living with their parents.

In 2011, just over one in eight (13%) households in Oadby and Wigston had only adult children living with their parents, compared with 9.9% in 2001. The percentage with at least one child decreased from 32% to 31%.

Harrow saw the next largest rise (from 12% to 14%).

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents in Oadby and Wigston increased by 2.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Oadby and Wigston, the East Midlands and England where a parent lived with their adult children, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Oadby and Wigston

The number of people in Oadby and Wigston that described themselves as Christian increased from about 36,000 in 2001 to just over 27,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 65% to 48% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the East Midlands (from 72% to 59%) and the average across England (from 72% to 59%).

The number of people in Oadby and Wigston that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 8,200 in 2001 to about 13,000 in 2011 (from 15% to 23%). The number of people who described themselves as Hindu increased from about 3,300 to about 5,100 (from 6.0% to 9.1%).

About 3,700 people (4.2%) said they were Sikh, up from just over 2,300 in 2001 (6.5%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between religious groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population who identified as Christian in Oadby and Wigston decreased by 16 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Oadby and Wigston by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Oadby and Wigston

The number of people in Oadby and Wigston from the White ethnic groups increased from about 47,000 in 2001 to about 41,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 84% to 73% of the local population.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the East Midlands (from 93% to 89%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Oadby and Wigston from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just over 7,700 in 2001 to just under 13,000 in 2011 (from 14% to 22%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from just under 610 to about 1,200 (from 1.1% to 2.1%).

Just over 790 people (0.2%) said they were from the Other ethnic groups (Arab or any other ethnic group), up from just under 110 in 2001 (1.4%).

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as migration and varying fertility rates between ethnic groups. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the White ethnic groups in Oadby and Wigston decreased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Oadby and Wigston by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

This area saw the East Midlands' third-largest rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

Across the region, only East Lindsey (from 3.3% to 4.1%) and North Kesteven (from 2.1% to 2.8%) saw a greater increase in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care.

Every local authority area across the East Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care, as the regional average grew from 2.2% to 2.6%.

In 2011, just under 1 in 40 (2.4%) in Oadby and Wigston reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week, compared with 1.8% in 2001. The percentage that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.9% to 1.3%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Oadby and Wigston remained close to 2.4%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East Midlands and Oadby and Wigston by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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Area report data

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